Movies

Fewer people, more films at Cannes, held to defend cinema

Cannes (France), Jul 5 (EFE / EPA) .- (Camera: Marco Álvarez San Román) With 30 per cent less press and a notable increase in films in the official section, the 74th edition of the Cannes Festival will open Tuesday with the aim of "offering a good festival and defending cinema."PRESS CONFERENCE OF THIERRY FRÉMAUX (DIRECTOR OF THE CANNES FESTIVAL).- TRANSLATION:1.- We have received many messages congratulating us for having endured and we have no merits or any demerits. Last year we fought to try to make the festival exist and although we got close, it could not be. This year we have been able and we have done it. It is our job, it is our privilege to have this festival and we have always said, last year the festival was not held because the situation was more serious than the existence of a film festival, even if it is the most important in the world. 2.- Cinema surrounds us. Our victory must not be our defeat. Cinema is everywhere and especially on the platforms that buy our films or that hire directors to make films on the platforms. It's fantastic. They show that they like shows that with an artistic trail left by cinema. This art object lasting an hour and a half or two - I'm not talking about series, I'm talking about movies - shows that it is a good formula.3.- Kléber Mendonça, because we have seen very good Brazilian cinema -and it can be seen in the selection- and his presence is in some way the tribute we want to pay to Kléber, who has competed twice, but also to the Brazilian cinema, which is a great cinema. And to Brazil, which is a great country and has been mortally hit by the pandemic. Among the guests is Walter Salles who will be here. It is important for a part of the press. Obviously there is the Rio Festival that will also take place. It is also a privilege to say that we have the possibility of inviting this type of audience, of insisting on their presence, and that is how the Cannes Festival dialogues and goes beyond mere cinematographic questions and is a way... that Kléber denounced the coup on the red carpet of which Dilma Roussef was a victim. And it is a way of honouring the commitment of artists.4.- On journalists, there is a loss of 35-30%. Which is more or less the general figure. On the one hand, some people cannot travel: from Latin America it is very difficult to travel. Although many journalists pass through Madrid, through Lisbon, who have quarantined ... The loyalty of the people to Cannes and how many of your colleagues, or maybe yourselves, who are here is very exciting ... Each one has found a system to be present.5.- Yes. Globally, the festival has 40 thousand accredited. 35, 40 thousand accredited. And now we are at 28 thousand, 29 thousand.6.- Yes, of course, everyone is subject to the same rules. But often there are certain movies, certain movie teams that focus on specific sites, have their own doctors, their own nurses to do the tests themselves. For example, for the photocall, we'll have tests for each artist and professionals of the delegation that will be there.7.- Our teams will wear a mask; the photographers, of course; the spectators. They will go up the stairs with the mask on. The stars, the film crews, who are well known, will be able to remove the mask for the photos. And Pierre Lescure and I, who will be at the top, spent a week thinking about not wearing it because we were going to be looking ahead and it was enough. But now we are thinking that to be exemplary, we should wear the mask too. At the bottom of the stairs, no kisses, no hugs, nothing.8.- Thank you all very much once again for being here with us. And ... Good festival to everyone!